Why was Caesar assassinated - Essay Example

Why was Caesar Assassinated? One of the many one rulers that has been immortalized by Shakespeare is Julius Caesar. Even so among all the kings that Shakespeare has written about the one that draws maximum sympathy is perhaps Julius Caesar not just because he is shown as the one to have been betrayed by his best friend and one’s he trusted but also because he is shown as a very normal human being who succumbs to his need for power but deserved better than being killed by his best friend. Rome was ruled by a triumvirate consisting of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. However, with the death of Crassus, a conflict raised between Pompey and Caesar. Caesar whose continuous growth in power resulted in the conflict as Pompey saw Caesar as a threat to himself. In January of 49 BC Caesar crossed the Rubican River in Northern Italy while Pompey fled to Greece and within 3 months Caesar managed to control the entire Italian peninsula. Caesar then followed Pompey to Greece and then Egypt where he was presented with the head of Pompey as a gift (“The Assassination of Julius Caesar, 2004). Caesar thus became the sole ruler of the entire Roman Empire. In spite of support from common man Caesar’s growing ambitions and his growth in power were seen as a threat by many especially by the aristocrats and the members of his own senate decided that he had to be stopped. As Caesar continued to become powerful he declared himself dictator in February 44 BC (“The Assassination of Julius Caesar, 2004). The senate thought that he would annul the senate rendering their position powerless and would become a tyrant with his decision being omnipotent. The fear for loss of power, the jealousy of seeing a colleague becoming more powerful, the annoyance at acceptance of people for Julius’s power and the arrogance of Julius led to his assassination. Caesar had always had been the one to show off his power, his arrogance and his lifestyle were a reflection of that. Suetonius and Dio write of how his gestures showed his arrogance. For instance when a senatorial delegate informed him about the honors that were being bestowed on him he received them while sitting at the temple of Venus Gittrix. Suetonius further mentions that he had no restrain over his thoughts and that showed when he spoke.(suetonius) "The republic is nothing but a name, without substance or reality. Sulla was stupid to abdicate the dictatorship. Men ought to consider what is becoming when they talk with me, and lookupon what I say as a law."(suetonius) Such arrogance created a negative image of Caesar and his conspirators believed that it was his power that had corrupted him and the only solution they thought was best for the situation was to assassinate Caesar. In spite of his arrogance common people supported him. They cheered him; they called him rex, Latin for king. They already thought of him as their king, their leader. During the crowning ceremony, when he was offered crown, he refused to accept it. People cheered him even then, they thought of this refusal to accept crown as his refusal to accept power. His conspirators on the other hand thought of this as a tactic to gather popular support and considered it as his arrogance and disregard for the general rules laid by senate. The senators who feared Caesar the most included Cassius, Decius, Cicero, Casca and others. However, their fear and hatred never gathered a concrete decision till Cassius realized that Brutus feared and disliked Caesar just as much as they did. It was with Brutus that the conspiracy materialized and led to the assassination of Caesar. Cassius was Brutus’s brother in law and they are considered the main conspirators. Cassius knew that Brutus was popular among common people and hence his involvement in the conspiracy was critical. The reason that he confirmed his involvement on various occasions. “Cassius, gripping Brutus tightly, asked him, “What will we do in the senate house if Caesar’s flunkies introduce a bill on kingship?” Brutus replied that he would not be present in the senate house. “But”, continues Cassius, “what if we are summoned as praetors….”I will defend my country to the death,” he replied.”(the first primary source) Nicolaus mentions how the conspirators never met in the open and came up with a plan to kill Caesar. “The conspirators never met exactly openly, but they assembled a few at a time in each others homes. There were many discussions and proposals, as might be expected, while they investigated how and where to execute their design. Some suggested that they should make the attempt along the Sacred Way, which was one of his favorite walks. Another idea was to do it at the elections, during which he had to cross a bridge to appoint the magistrates in the Campus Martius. Someone proposed that they draw lots for some to push him from the bridge and others to run up and kill him. A third plan was to wait for a coming gladiatorial show. The advantage of that was, because of the show, no suspicion would be aroused if arms were seen. The majority opinion, however, favored killing him while he sat in the senate. He would be there by himself, since only Senators were admitted, and the conspirators could hide their daggers beneath their togas. This plan won the day”.(nicolaus) The conspirators weren’t just jealous people filled with rage but they were also intelligent people who knew what was best for them. They actually planned the murder and fixed a date for it. The act was not done just under a fit of rage but was a properly planned murder. It was on Ides of March, 44 BC that the conspirators brutally killed Caesar. It’s his last words as glorified by Shakespeare that resolute in the minds of the readers of the Shakesperian play about Julius Caesar. Even though if he ever said anything during his last moments is highly doubted yet “Et tu, Brute?”(Shakespeare) remains the one that is most remembered. Having gone through all the events that led to Caesar’s fall I think it would be correct to say that his assassination was inevitable. In spite of his acceptance by common people he was a ruler who easily succumbed to power. He wanted more of it and was not hesitant in acquiring power through whatever means possible. It was this hunger for power that people started seeing him as a threat. Further, it was in his character to show off his power through his exuberance and through his arrogance. He must have considered them as a part of a king or as is said power does corrupt, it could have been that he acted solely because he considered himself more powerful than other people. In spite of that the reason that common people accepted him further strengthened the environment against him. His conspirators thought that people probably saw him as god and Caesar probably wanted to be their god. This idea was not just too threatening for them but also they felt this would not be in the benefit of the nation to have a high headed king. However, it is strongly believed that whatever the circumstances might have been the conspirators used Caesar’s arrogance and duty to their nation as an excuse to execute an evil plan. As had been said, it wasn’t an action done out of a fit of rage but it was well thought out plan. The conspirators are murderers despite the cause. I would like to conclude by saying that Caesar’s assassination was inevitable for the circumstances were not in his favor. Any man who has power has enemies and unless he is careful he will be backstabbed. An arrogant, powerful Caesar who blindly trusted people, this led to his assassination. Read More